


Stereotypical

by graytheglowinggay



Series: X-Men: My Self-Indulgent Gay Nonsense [2]
Category: X-Factor (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Canon Gay Relationship, Dialogue Heavy, Fluff and Humor, Fluff without Plot, Implied Sexual Content, Les Misérables References, M/M, Musical References, Post The Children's Crusade, Powered Rictor, Self-Indulgent, Stereotypes, The Phantom of the Opera - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:15:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23530690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graytheglowinggay/pseuds/graytheglowinggay
Summary: "That classic movie channel was running a marathon of something called 'musicals'... Rictor said he didn't want to watch. He said he didn't want to start 'getting into musicals' because that was a 'stereotype'. Do you know what he was talking about?" -Shatterstar, X-Factor (2005), issue #220.Shatterstar tries to get Rictor on board with his love of musicals.
Relationships: Julio Richter/Shatterstar
Series: X-Men: My Self-Indulgent Gay Nonsense [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693336
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	Stereotypical

Rictor did not do musicals. Nope, no, absolutely not. They were not his thing, thank you very much. They were silly and campy and did not appeal to him at all. It didn’t help that, being a gay man, it was something he was expected to like. He refused. He was not going to be one of those gays, delivering drunken renditions of the latest Tony winner on karaoke night. He was serious. He was cultured. And he was never going to like musicals.

So, of course, Shatterstar had to drag him along to see  _ Phantom of the Opera _ on Broadway.

* * *

It had originated from Rictor’s efforts to introduce Shatterstar to “Earth culture”. He had started with the basics:  _ Star Wars _ (which Shatterstar enjoyed “despite its many inaccuracies”),  _ Die Hard _ (which Shatterstar spent most of the runtime of describing how he could have done better”), and all the  _ Pirates of the Caribbean _ movies (which subsequently became the only thing Shatterstar watched for the next two weeks).

While Shatterstar occupied himself with the exploits of Jack Sparrow, Rictor struggled to find other things for his boyfriend to enjoy. So, of course, he was eternally grateful when he discovered the many old movie channels on premium cable— which they had, courtesy of M’s credit card. He figured she owed them one anyway.

With this latest tool in his toolbelt, Shatterstar set his sights on Westerns, devouring the career catalogs of Errol Flynn and John Wayne. He incorporated their slang and catchphrases into his daily speech as best he could, resulting in jarring combinations such as “I wish to bed you, partner”.

It was only a matter of time, then, before one of those channels held a classic musical marathon. The first one was  _ Singin’ in the Rain _ , starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. As soon as he realized it was a musical, Rictor stood up to leave.

“Why are you leaving, Julio? Is there something you need to do?” Shatterstar had asked.

“I’m just not a fan of this kind of movie, ‘Star.” Rictor had replied.

“And why is that?”

“It’s a musical. Liking those kinds of things, it’s, you know, stereotypical.”

“I do not know what you mean by that.”

“Just,” he sighed. “You’ll see. I’m not stopping you. By all means, keep watching. I’ll be going to bed.”

Statterstar, of course, did not go to bed— his extradimensional mutant physiology allowed him as much— instead, he continued his musical marathon well into the morning.

“I do not see why you don’t enjoy these, Rictor. They are highly entertaining,” he said as Rictor walked into the room the next morning.

“Jesus Christ, Shatterstar, you’re still watching?” he replied.

“The movies are still showing, are they not?”

“You’re not meant to watch the entire thing all the way through. It’s meant for people to come in and out.”

“Well, I can watch the entire thing, so I did. I enjoyed it.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

Rictor had nearly forgotten about the whole situation with the musicals when he heard singing from the bathroom he shared with Shatterstar. His boyfriend singing in the shower was nothing new— it was a human custom that he had picked up on quickly. It was what he was singing that was unusual.

“ _ I dreamed a dream of time gone by… _ ”

It was a song clearly originally meant for a higher voice, but Shatterstar had transposed it to a key more fitting for his voice. It was a pleasant song. However, Rictor couldn’t help but wonder what it was from. Unconsciously, he leaned against the bathroom door, causing a slight creak. For most people, it would be imperceptible, but Shatterstar was not most people.

“Are you listening, Julio? Do you like the song?”

“I guess I do.”

“It is ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from the show  _ Les Misérables _ . Are you familiar with that show?”

_ Les Misérables _ . Of course Rictor recognized it.

“Are you singing show tunes in the shower?”

“Do you know the song? Would you like to join me for a duet?”

Rictor sighed. “Aside from that being the worst invitation to shower together that you’ve ever given me, I don’t do musicals, ‘Star.”

“Your loss, Julio.”

* * *

And now, through Longshot’s luck powers, Shatterstar had secured two top-tier tickets to see  _ Phantom of the Opera _ on Broadway. Rictor didn’t want to go, but he couldn’t exactly decline the invitation for such a high-price date, even if they had paid next-to-nothing for it. They had gone to dinner at one of the nice restaurants around the theatre, and, shortly after, entered the theatre.

Somehow, Shatterstar managed to get past the metal detectors, even though Rictor was almost certain that he had a sword (or two, or seven) hidden somewhere on his body. Regardless, things had gone without a hitch. After Shatterstar had gone to the merchandise stand to buy a t-shirt, they walked over to the usher to get the Playbills and be shown to their seats.

“So, birthday, anniversary?” the usher asked.

“Just managed to somehow get tickets,” Shatterstar replied.

“Well, you two lucky gentlemen are going to be down in the orchestra seats, right in the center of the floor. Enjoy the show.”

“We certainly will,” Shatterstar said.

“Did you see that?” Rictor asked once they were out of earshot of the usher.

“See what?” Shatterstar replied.

“The usher just assumed that we were a couple.”

“He assumed correctly, did he not?”

“Just, that doesn’t happen a lot.”

“Was it nice?”

“Yeah, it was.”

After they had sat down, Rictor flipped absentmindedly through the Playbill while Shatterstar sat upright and at attention, as though they could be attacked at any minute.

“Why are you sitting like that?” Rictor asked.

“I want to be ready when the overture starts.”

“It isn’t an ambush, ‘Star.”

“All my senses must be alert, like on the battlefield.”

At that moment, the house lights darkened, and the bold organ chords of the overture began to sound out.

“It’s time,” Shatterstar said.

* * *

At several parts in the show, against his will, Rictor found himself humming along to the more recognizable melodies in the score, even as Shatterstar was sitting next to him, mouthing the words in complete synch.

As they walked out, Shatterstar turned his head to face Rictor, a slight smile on his lips.

“What is it?” Rictor asked.

“I thought you didn’t like musicals,” Shatterstar replied.

“I don’t.”

“The chairs were rumbling.”

“Maybe they installed those 4D theatre seats.”

“Or, your powers were in synch to the music,” Shatterstar said. He raised an eyebrow.

“Perhaps,” Rictor said, crossing his arms. “It’s an involuntary reaction,” he added.

“An involuntary reaction to pleasure. Trust me, I know it well.”

Rictor threw up his arms. “Fine! I enjoyed the music.” Shatterstar cleared his throat. “And the dancing. And the sets. And the story.”

“You enjoyed the musical.”

“I enjoyed the musical.”

“Excellent!” Shatterstar threw an arm over Rictor’s shoulder. “I have a whole slate of Broadway shows I would like to see. Longshot has already secured tickets to  _ Hadestown _ and  _ Avenue Q _ . Perhaps, if we get him something in return, he will provide tickets to  _ Hamilton _ . When we get home, we can watch  _ Little Shop of Horrors _ or  _ The Last Five Years _ , or maybe even  _ Rocketman _ .”

“ _ Rocketman _ ? Now isn’t that a little, you know, stereotypical?” Rictor asked.

“Perhaps.”

**Author's Note:**

> I really love Ricstar. I really love musicals. Hence, this was written. My very first fanfiction that I posted to this site was Hamilton fanfiction, back in 2016, if you can believe that. A lot about me, my interests, and my writing have changed since then, but I still love a good musical.


End file.
